Half Marathon Training
By Alina Avery
My relationship with running has always run hot and cold, but this time I’m committing. My husband is the kind of runner who can do nothing for months and then decide to go out and run 5k without blinking an eye. I require a little more training.
I registered for the Cambridge Half Marathon in November along with my husband, my brother, and a few other friends. So far I’ve been training for a little over a week and can run just under 6 kilometers in half an hour. A half marathon is 21 kilometers. I’m just aiming to finish, since it’s my first real race, but I’m thinking my time will end up right around 2:15-2:20 or so.
To train and track, I’m using MapMyRun. The MVP version has a Half Marathon training plan where I can input the date of the race and what days I want to run on and it calibrates to my fitness level to create a plan. I usually do short runs on Tuesdays, strides or intervals on Thursdays, easy runs on Saturdays and long runs on Sundays. I’m hoping I won’t have to do much training indoors, as running on the treadmill is the worst. I’m also trying to continue incorporating yoga and weight training into my routine, so it’ll take some planning and balance. Mostly I’m just excited about the potential new workout clothes because #athleisure.
1 – Never ever leave the house without SPF! This Dr. Jart UV Sun Fluid formula is super thin and easy to apply. Bonus it’s non-greasy and won’t clog your pores, even if you’re out sweating your brains off on the concrete. I’ll apply sunscreen if nothing else to run (well sometimes waterproof mascara if I think I might run into someone!)
2 – These allbirds running shoes appeal to me so much. They’re 100% super fine wool, and touted as “the most comfortable sneaker” by several different news outlets. The company was founded by a biotech engineer and a former pro-soccer player, so they gotta be good!
3 – Since I’m not particularly busty I don’t really require much support in the sports bra department. I love the beyond yoga bras since they’re super comfortable and soft and come with removable lining. They’re great for all sorts of exercise IF you’re a 32B like me.
4 – Clearly exactly how I feel 75% of the time.
5 – I love love love leggings for most of my workouts, but for running sometimes you just want a good pair of shorts. These Hotty Hot Shorts from Lululemon are my favorite since they fit super nicely and have hidden pockets for your house key. They’re very lightweight and cool.
6 – Finally, Matt got me one of these Polar heart rate monitors for my birthday back in January. I don’t use it every time but sometimes it’s nice to use your heart rate to pace your run. It also helps measure your level of fitness, track your workouts, and estimate calories burned. This is a pretty base model and might not even be sold anymore, but there are much fancier ones that will do even more elaborate exercise stuff.
